After reading about a diaper bank in Connecticut, Barbara Hickey got inspired to do the same for her South Cobb community.
“Have you seen the prices for diapers? It becomes so expensive for a family on limited income that we had to do something for the community,” she said. In 2009, Hickey called up local organizations and suggested the idea of having a diaper drive. “The reaction I received was unbelievable.”
On Oct. 29, Hickey and her committee hosted the Fourth Annual Cobb Diaper Day in Marietta Square which collected over 65,000 diapers for five Cobb County agencies: Christian Aid Mission Partnership, The Center for Family Resources, MUST Ministries, Reconnecting Families, and the YWCA of Northwest Georgia.
The diaper drive helps C.A.M.P. provide more to the families they serve year-round.
“Our shelves have been empty since the summer, and by having the diaper drive, it enhances the support we can give our families,” said C.A.M.P.’s Program Director Carla Pierce.
The 44-year-old nonprofit organization serves 12,000 people a year in underserved areas of Powder Springs, Austell, Mableton, and Lithia Springs.
“Families are having a tough time, and once the rent, groceries, and bills are paid for, diapers and other toiletries become a luxury,” added Pierce. The diaper drive encouraged local businesses and communities to collect at least 500 diapers noting that 5,000 diapers can assist almost 10-15 families.
Although the collection day has passed, Hickey and her committee are still accepting donations of diapers for the initiative.
“Ideas come out of some necessity,” shared Hickey, who also owns the Etiquette School of Atlanta. “We are just so grateful to see the generosity of the community in an effort to help our families in need.”
The diaper collection initiative, since it started, has collected and distributed over 300,000 diapers to local agencies.
To get involved with Cobb Diaper Day, visit cobbdiaperday.org
In Other News: More than 350 cyclists completed the third annual 24 Hours of Booty of Atlanta held on Oct. 13-14 in Sandy Springs. The cycling event raised $191,000 for the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.
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